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I think there are 3 main reasons to be excited: 1. 4-3 defense 2. Pro style offense 3. Nice hires for the assistants At this point, there is so little to go on either way. Those are 3 reasons I like the hire, and at least 3 BEGINNING reasons for me to believe in RI.

Well, based on season ticket sales according to gozips.com...looking pretty good as a "soccer included" city. I have always been a huge fan of soccer, love to see the renovations at Akron. Go Zips!!!

Very excited about this. Coming from the west side of Cleveland, wife and I will definitely use this hotel 1-2 times a year during the football season as a 1-night "getaway" in our day of festivities.

Exactly. I would love to see nine to ten, 12-14 team conferences that make sense, personally. And I would like to see a playoff. But how often are many college football fans really getting what they want?

Wow, are we off topic or what?!!? Ah well, it always comes back to the same 3-5 topics anyway. For at least the past few years, I definitely see a trend toward a new division of football. I could definitely see a "FBS Tier One" with 64-80 schools (more towards the 64) and a "FBS Tier Two" with the remaining schools and perhaps the CAA (schools like Villanova, Richmond, Colgate, etc.). Fact is this, though. If Big 12 takes a couple more and some of these middle conferences (MWC, CUSA) start needing programs...Akron can be on the radar. And while that may not mean being in the power conferences, it may mean being one of the better programs in that 2nd tier at some point.

Why would They take Temple back? They got rid of them because they were THAT BAD! in football. All of a sudden the have the rare good couple of years and they open their arms to welcome them back be cause of the T.V market? That makes no sense. Keep this in mind, If the Big East wanted Akron (and I belive in my mind they do because of the NE Ohio market) I almost promise you that if the Zips is offered to join, they are going to say "If you take us, you take Can't also!" They would take Temple back for the same reason that the Pac 10 took Utah= they needed someone when the main targets went away. Who the heck knows how all of this shakes out. But if the Big East starts losing schools, no doubt that the Philly market and basketball success of Temple will have them in the conversation. If you don't see that, then your view is too short sighted. For anyone 15 years ago to believe Cincinnati football would be playing in the Big East and making the Sugar Bowl from that conference, they would have been locked up.

Before too long, Temple will be a member of a redesigned Big East or CUSA. I know, I know. Temple was in the Big East at one point. But if the league grabs UCF and Memphis, not to long before they grab 2 more to get 12 football teams.

Boston is a huge tv market. BC is not a big draw. ACC didn't care about that part= they wanted the Boston market. Same deal for Akron...Clev/Akron market is big. That and the athletic facilities/commitment to athletics and hs talent in NE Ohio is why a conference like CUSA or Big East MIGHT look at Akron. CUSA looks to be losing Memphis and UCF, though Big East is, of course, denying it. And, CUSA might also lose Houston at somepoint to the 10 team Big 12. If CUSA wants to get in the East, Temple is probably #1 on the radar, but Akron has to be considered.

Have to say I am liking those times. Those 6PM starts during the early part of the year allows you to do things during the day/tailgate more and enjoy comfortable evenings at the stadium under the lights. GW game..taking both kids, so Noon is perfect!!! 3:30 later in the year for WMU..nice as it gets cooler. Here's hoping the Buffalo game is no later than 2:30 (but prefer 1 or so).

I think it would it would work. But what about Temple. I don't like that they are Football only. It used to be that the MAC gave out 10 less scholarships that the big boys. The idea was that they were a "academic" conference first and did not want any ideas of challenging for a national championship. That changed in the 70s (I think) when they added 5 more scholarships. Does anyone know where the MAC stands today in regards to the # of scholarships it can gave out for football?? Is it still 5 less than the maximum for D1?? Rather than talk about moving to a bigger conference, I think we should work to regain the reputation on the MAC. If that means putting some on probation or dropping some, so be it. In the long run, it may be easier to fix the MAC that for Akron to wedge it's way into one of the emerging Mega conferences. Temple, IMHO, is gone to Big East (if exists), CUSA or ACC if this seismic shift of 16 team conferences occurs. Sorry, should have made that more obvious. Their location in Philly and their basketball program, plus the fact they play in a large stadium make them, like it or not, more attractive than many other programs in MAC or other.

MAC (16) EAST Akron Miami Can't State Ohio University Buffalo Marshall Army Navy WEST Bowling Green Toledo Ball State Northern Illinois Eastern Michigan Central Michigan Western Michigan Western Kentucky

Winning is #1 for either b-ball or football. 3,000 fans at the JAR become 1,500 if the team is 9-24. But, really, it is not one thing. Facilities= football has it, basketball needs it. A player to watch/get excited about. Zeke and Nicely might become those players. An "experience". Tough to do in b-ball even with an improved facility. Football can be all about the experience (Browns suck, the gameday is still an experience). Area around Info could make it "A (if not THE) place to be" on a Fall Saturday (at a much cheaper price than OSU). Getting current students involved is huge. Then start with recent alums. Keep on moving up. Akron apparel= chicken and egg/supply and demand thing. Team Shop has to open though and at least get some worthwhile stuff. I am a believer in, especially at a place like Akron, if you see more of it, more people will ask questions, do a bit of research, etc. Just general marketing of the product, the facility (Info), the low ticket cost, etc. No doubt the big wins help. For football= Syracuse game is huge this year. Find a way to win that one, GW and play IU and UK close..might get a couple thousand more interested for Northern Illinois. Then wins need to keep coming.

Perhaps we can use Stiles as a selling point... Any chance of having vendors use that area for food sales? Or even, just use it as a place for fans to get warm. I know that would be difficult with in/out stuff, but perhaps they could gate off the street and areas to allow fans to go into the Stiles. I like to think I am relatively tough..but sitting outside for all those games has NEVER been my cup of tea.

Guess I can't cheer for Akron since I never went there. And no "Joe Akron" can cheer for the Zips because they have no connection besides living in the city. What a ridiculous argument. Cross me off too fellas .. never took a class at the U. Sucks I'm not welcome. Hold it - weren't you just named basketball fan of the year? (Congrats by the way). You better get that registration together in a hurry before you get banned from the games. Look guys, I get the point some of you are trying to make. For a long time OSU was the only major program in the entire state. I remember it being fun listening to the radio in my dads old truck when I was a kid when Archie Griffin and Cornelious Greene and Pete Johnson were playing. That was back when Akron was still a Division II school, so people who have been around long enough still remember the era when that was the case. I think it's great that Akron is developing a more passionate fan base but a little historical perspective can sometimes make you view things in a different light. One of the best things about Akron athletics even at this point in time is getting in on the "ground floor". Its fun to root for a school that has some really good things going for it, whether it is your alma mater or not. And like it or not, one perception of a school is is public sports profile. As an example, I guarantee you that applications to attend Butler will go up next year. I get good comments almost every time I wear Zips gear anywhere I am in the country. I don't care in the least what happens at any other school (well maybe Can't if it's bad) unless it directly impacts the Zips. Great post. Well written and definitely someone that has a little perspective on things. The reasons I have slowly but surely become a true borderline diehard Akron fan are too numerous to mention, and not many would care if I did mention them. But there are many reasons to be a fan of a team, school, city, etc. Go X! Go Bucks! Go BC! Go Zips!

Dang. I can't be an OSU or an Akron fan!!! Ugh.

http://j-darin-darst.blogs.cbssports.com/m...overlist_footer Lots to chew on there, including: "Forget adding anybody from the MAC and WAC, so the only choices left are from the Sun Belt." I don't really think he is right on many things. But this is what you are going to see= lots of people writing articles about what they think will or what they think should happen. I have said for a long time that Army and Navy makes sense. And, in general, I agree with GP1 that whoever joins should be "all in". But, again, there are just so many ways this can go. And, again, we have to do everything in our power (we being UA) to improve the teams, the faclities, the school, etc. to be well positioned to not be left too far behind.

More importantly, see Anthony Schrock!!! http://www.ohsfca.org/2010_Rosters.pdf Potts is in the game too. Lots of future MAC "stars".

If a conference had Buffalo and Toledo in it, there's no way it would be a decent FBS conference The same could be said about Akron, sadly. The only advantage we have is our facilities. You can't help but laugh when you look at all the rest of the MAC compared to us. I think we have lots of advantages, and I think we can get strong. But you need to keep in mind that Toledo just built a nice indoor facitlity for football, and they still get some nice opponents coming to the Glass Bowl. They have a solid history as well..and then some really bad stuff recently. Buffalo, if the Bills move, could become the main football program in that town. And, I get the feeling they will improve their facilities even more in the future.

If a conference had Buffalo and Toledo in it, there's no way it would be a decent FBS conference The same could be said about Akron, sadly.

In full agreement! Along with that, when this big conference thing shakes out, I would not mind the thought of adding Navy and Army as football schools only (mostly b/c I doubt they would do more than that). Akron, Toledo, Buffalo, Temple, Army, Navy, Marshall, Western Kentucky (nice b-ball program, newer/renovated stadium), Troy, ECU, Southern Miss, UAB, etc. Again, it is so tough to predict right now what these leagues will look like. And really, I, like GP1 (or at least similar) have been calling for perhaps a Tier 1 and Tier 2 FBS schools type situation. A lot is going to change in the next 4 to 5 years. We need to be ready to pounce on the best opportunity available. Make fun of NE Ohio all you will, but it is still a large population pool and relatively big market when considering the whole picture. Not to mention the talent pool football wise (b-ball and soccer not bad either!) that it can help to bring into a conference with Akron on board.

Bloomington is a great college town. Highly recommend to anyone thinking of traveling to a game. IU's campus is very nice as well.

If Big Ten goes to 16, C-USA will not only melt into the Big East (what is left of it), but a school like Houston very easily could find itself in the PAC 12 to 16 discussion or the "new" Big 12 (consisting of 14 to 16 teams). Fact of the matter is, many of these conferences may be unrecognizable from what we know now in, say, 2014/15 (I think that is when the BCS TV deal is done). Personally, as best we can, I would like to stay with Buffalo, Temple, Toledo in a conference that has more eastern teams and possibly some southern teams. At this point, we are all waiting on the Big 10.

Since it is pretty obvious the all-blue home unis are staying, I say just do the reverse for the road unis= all white with a blue stripe down the pants and jersey. Perhaps VMD9 could do a mock up. His unis ideas are still the best (if we don't go with a personally more preferred tradtional look).

I think what you are going to have is something like this... Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Missouri.... They will wait to announce the 5th team. They will tell ND, "We are about to rip apart the Big East. Do you want to be in the Big Ten or not". ND says yes, they are team #5. If they say no, hello Kansas or Nebraska or UConn. My wildcard= Maryland. This would help Big Ten get into even more of the ACC/SEC country. How does this affect the MAC/Akron. SO MANY ways it can go. My #1 guess is BE goes away if they lose 4 or more teams...ACC and even SEC (WVU) grab them up to get to 14 to 16 teams. If they lose 4, might hold on with 4 teams, keep 4 basketball only schools (the rest go to A-10..A-10 kicks out Duquesne and others to the Horizon) and add 8 schools that play both. Memphis and Temple would be high on that list. Central Florida, Southern Miss, ECU would be others. Akron, Buffalo and Toledo could be options, along with Marshall. Lose a few..MIGHT just keep all b-ball schools, and get their numbers for football back to 8. Least likely scenario b/c football would be so low at this point.

And so are two of our opponents! http://cfn.scout.com/2/963022.html